Oakland sues to stop U.S. seizure of medical marijuana building

Oakland sued to stop the federal government from seizing a building used by a medical marijuana dispensary.

The building, at 1840 Embarcadero, just on the bay side of Interstate 880 south of the 16th Avenue overpass, houses the Harborside Health Center. In July the local U.S. Attorney filed a forfeiture action against the property.

Parker's office pointed to Prop. 215, passed by California voters in 1996, and the "Medical Marijuana Program Act" passed by the state legislature in 2003 as the foundations of Oakland's own regulatory regime for medical cannabis shops.

"I strongly oppose federal actions against Oakland businesses that are complying with state and local laws and paying their fair share of taxes," Parker said.

Oakland and the U.S. government have collided in the past over the medical marijuana issue -- U.S. agents raided Oaksterdam University on Broadway downtown in April, and Parker in July told the government that Oakland would be better helped by federal efforts to reduce its violent crime rate rather than by pressure on medical marijuana dispensaries.

Read More: http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2012/10/10/oakland-sues-stop-us-seizure-marijuana.html